15 Years of Success as A Beacon of Hope for Adolescent Depression

We give educators the tools to create meaningful discussions about depression

Adolescent depression lives in the shadows. Young people facing it feel isolated and dangerously alone. We help schools create hopeful dialogue so students can talk to each other, to their parents, to their teachers, and to counselors.

Classroom Programs

Our free, easy-to-use and accessible programs put the student at the center, talking to them in a language they understand.

Teen Depression Toolbox

From Tragedy, Hope

Erika’s Lighthouse: A Beacon of Hope for Adolescent Depression was founded in 2004 by Virginia and Thomas Neuckranz after their daughter Erika lost her life to depression. In order to avoid another loss in the community, they founded Erika’s Lighthouse with the goal of creating educational materials to Get Depression Out of the Dark.

With help from the community, and from donors nationwide, we’ve grown and expanded our mission across the country. We know that working together, we can save lives.

Our school has partnered with Erika’s Lighthouse for several years, and I am always impressed with the quality of materials that they produce. Talking about depression can make both teachers and students uncomfortable, but the Erika’s Lighthouse programs are designed to decrease the negative attitudes of depression. The programs provide an opportunity for conversations about how students can contribute to a positive mental health culture in their school and community.

Jason Dane

High School Teacher

Our Corporate Partners

Recent Blog Posts

A surfer doesn’t fight the powerful ocean wave; he moves with the wave riding its natural tide. “Riding the wave” is also a psychological practice of surfing your own powerful and negative emotions. Fighting emotions such as sadness and anger delays the acceptance of...

I have struggled with food and weight for longer than I could remember. I always wanted dessert and lots of it! I was constantly overeating and I was moody, sad and displayed symptoms of depression. Eventually, I gave up and stopped caring about my health. I always...

The sight of twinkling lights, the sound of joyous music and the smell of comfort cooking are warm familiarities that the holiday season is approaching. While feeling nostalgic, these emotions are usually quickly countered with the low level dread I feel about...

Donate to Erika’s Lighthouse

Your donation helps us provide school programs free of charge and Get Depression Out of the Dark.